Revelations of the Other World

by: James H. Hyslop, Ph.D., LL.D

The discussion in the previous chapter prepares the way for what is to be said on this present subject. If it be difficult to tell what the nature of a transcendental life is, it will be equally different to say what the spiritual world itself is. But there have been bold enough attempts to describe it. St. John's Book of Revelation was perhaps the first after Greek mythology. In modern times, the works of Emanuel Swedenborg and later of Andrew Jackson Davis, have perhaps exercised more influence than any others. Swedenborg described the spiritual world rather minutely, but his symbolic diction was not always understood and his theory of mental states was never appreciated as highly by the laity as by scholars. The laity too often interpreted it literally, though he specifically corrected this misconception. Andrew Jackson Davis frankly described the spiritual world in sensory terms and developed no theory of mental states nor any doctrine of idealism.

Before saying anything about the value of revelations I should perhaps give examples of them. They intermingle descriptive accounts of the spiritual world and its life with philosophy and admonitions or precepts.

I am not going to raise or decide the question whether the mediums through whom the revelations came are honest or fraudulent. For our purpose here it makes no difference. We are discussing not the source, but the validity of the messages. The conditions determining the source of messages are one thing and the conditions determining validity are another, even though ultimately we must know something of the source when considering the validity of messages purporting to describe a transcendental world. But even then their validity will depend not upon the fact that they are spiritistic, but upon the articulation and correlation of the total mass of material into a consistent whole and perhaps upon some relation to the known in the physical world. I do not care at present to decide this question of source. The authors from whom I quote the statements believed the messages to come from a spiritual world. We are studying the relation of these accounts to existing knowledge and to each other. It makes no difference whether they came from frauds or from honest people. If we knew enough of the transcendental world to accept statements upon the proved veracity of the communicators it might suffice to be assured of the honesty of the source. But veracity is only one requirement when we have to learn from spirit sources the nature of the next world and its life. Competency to report is just as necessary as veracity. If there are degrees of intelligence and different planes of existence, the testimonies of various communicators will not have the same value, and a given communication may not represent the whole of transcendental existence. Furthermore, with competency proved, we have to reckon with the limitations of the medium, which may so modify and color the messages as wholly transform them on the way. All these, and perhaps more, considerations enter into the evaluation of the messages; but we have no space to detail them. We are only illustrating the "revelations" purporting to give accounts of the spiritual world, disregarding their source and the influence of the living mind upon their transmission. We have here to deal with them superficially as they come to us.

I shall first quote a passage from Dr. Hare's work. It purports to come from a spirit that died as a very little child and now reports what it had much later learned.

"My life here has been a charmed one, enrapturing scenes of beauty being constantly presented to view, like the ever varying landscapes delineated on the canvas by a skilful artist. Now is seen a beautiful silvery lake on whose translucent bosom floats the graceful swan, bending his pliant neck, as if proudly conscious of his surpassing beauty; and anon, among the hills of this lake, which appear like gems on a virgin brow, shoots a tiny barque, freighted with angelic children. Then is presented a bolder view, of towering mountains and wideextended plains, with the accompanying characteristics of hill and dell.

"There are gardens there of inconceivable beauty, filled with the choicest and most aromatic herbs and flowers, and birds with every conceivable variety of plumage. The parks are of great magnitude, and abound with the most beautiful animals. The swift antelope, the wild gazelle, and the graceful deer are seen ranging over the flowery plains. There the lion and the lamb lie down together in peaceful innocence. There are congregated millions of spirits, who are associated together like a harmonious and happy family. The vales are vocal with celestial melody, and the air is redolent with the perfume of flowers."

Men may differ as to the spirituality of this heaven. Some would regard it as purely materialistic, but I am sure that most of them would enjoy it nevertheless.

In regard to the employments of spirits the following passage is of especial interest, particularly as one statement in it may throw light upon the whole subject of the transcendental life.

"Our scientific researches and investigations are extended to all that pertains to the phenomena of universal nature; to all the wonders of the heavens and the earth, and to whatever the mind of man is capable of conceiving: all of which exercise our faculties, and form a considerable part of our enjoyments. The noble and sublime sciences of astronomy, chemistry, and mathematics, engage a considerable portion of our attention, and afford us an inexhaustible subject for study and reflection.

"We do not study those practical arts, which are so essential to the earth-life, such as mechanics, etc.; for we do not stand in need of their applications; our studies being wholly of a mental character, we attend to the fundamental principles only. All the more intellectual branches of the arts and sciences are cultivated in a much more perfect manner than that to which we have been accustomed upon earth."

Like the previous passage, this regards the spiritual world as a perfect replica of the physical universe, with certain exceptions, which the careful reader will note. The thing to be specially remarked is the denial of the existence of the practical arts and the emphasis upon "mental" occupations.

Either this is evidence of a subconscious revolt against the complete reproduction of a physical existence, or it is a tacit admission of radical differences between that world and this. The allusion to mental occupations implies Swedenborg's view; namely, that the spiritual world is mental and creative, and that the appearance of the physical is therefore an illusion. If we accept the pictographic process of intercommunication between minds, we can interpret the above descriptions as pertaining to a dream life of some kind, whether rational or otherwise. But I am not concerned here with deciding such a question. The main point is to notice that we have either to reckon with subconscious imaginings of the medium or with a conception very different from the literal meaning of the report. After being taught by the Cartesian philosophy and much Christian speculation that the spiritual world is not material and that it can have no resemblance to the present life, we are confronted with a description of it as exactly like our own, except for the absence of evil. Only a careful scrutiny of the accounts reveals sporadic but significant statements completely altering the conception that hasty reading creates.

I shall next quote a passage from the work of judge Edmunds. But I must first remind the reader that he must be on the lookout for symbolic meaning in the description. The tone of the account is realistic, and we should not ordinarily suspect that it had any other import. Before the experiment the persons present had been told that a vision would come to Dr. Dexter, the medium in the case. After following instructions, the party waited, and there came the following vision. It is descriptive of some features of the next life.

"Away off in the regions of space, as if in the midst of the starry firmament, I saw a bright and majestic spirit sitting in a sort of throne, which was placed on a fleecy, white cloud. A. few feet above his head reposed a wreath of flowers, from whence flowed rays of light to his head, forming, as it were, a crown of light and flowers. He had on a loose garment, beautifully variegated with blue and pink, and ornamented with purple velvet, which sparkled as with diamonds. His left hand rested on a globe, on the arm of his seat, from which radiated a golden light, indicative of affection. On the right arm of his chair was a similar globe radiating a silver light, indicating wisdom. His right arm was raised, and he pointed me to a distant view. He was evidently of a higher command in the execution of God's laws than I had yet seen. Far beneath him were innumerable stars of all sizes careering through space, and apparently gamboling in the exuberance of their joy. At first the scene seemed to me one of great disorder; but as I gazed I saw how all was order and harmony. I saw many spirits coming to and going from him, as if with messages—coming as from distant stars, and vanishing in space with inconceivable rapidity.

"While I gazed, I saw a very bright light, most gorgeous, like a blazing sun, approaching him from behind, and forming a background to him. The rays of it were ever shooting out from its center various hues, yet it seemed formed of numberless concentric rings of different colors. I can convey no idea of its glorious splendor.

"That light was the central sun of all these systems of worlds I saw beneath his feet, and he was the high and holy intelligence that governed their action in obedience to the laws of God.

"He arose from his seat, and leaning on it with one arm, he pointed me with the other off to his right. There I saw a bright and dazzling spirit, with no clothing upon him, but shining like burnished silver. He was floating in the blue ethereal, and seemed a great storehouse of dazzling light, which he was scattering from him in all directions.

"I saw that he was superior to the other spirit, yet I felt as if there was a sense of solitude about him, and that he had no, companions. He replied to my thought by spreading out his hands and saying, 'These worlds are my companions; my solitude is peopled by myriads of shining intelligences.'

"He pointed me to other systems of worlds far off in the illimitable distance, and immense in number. He seemed to be the apex of a cone; spreading out and beneath him were the worlds which he governed, whose guide and director he was. He pointed me to one still higher than himself, his superior in power and wisdom. Of that one I saw only the head."

Now we have only to look carefully at this description to see that it is symbolical. The figures said to represent affection and wisdom are the first clear intimation of the way the vision is to be interpreted. The latter part carries its own suggestion. But as if suggestion were not enough, the author adds the following as a part of the message conveyed by the vision:

"The great lesson taught by these scenes is the occupation of spirits, one above another, in their career of progression—each greater than the other, and executing God's laws on a larger scale and in a higher sphere."

The whole elaborate imagery is therefore symbolic, as those familiar with the pictographic process will readily recognize, while we have also to reckon with the fact that the language of the description is Dr. Dexter's. The picture does not carry with it its own language nor its own interpretation. Whether this last comes from the mind of Dr. Dexter, or from the transcendental world, makes no difference. The narrative continues with the following passage by automatic writing through Dr. Dexter's hand:

"This is one process of development. Watch and see his form rising from that brilliant cloud of lambent flame. This personifies truth as developed to minds prepared to receive it. You never, perhaps, may see anything so brilliant and gorgeous again. Let the circle be particularly silent and let their minds turn to this subject."

Note that this passage is explanatory of the meaning of the vision up to this point. The phrase, "Personifying truth" for "minds prepared to receive it" is an indication that the apparently sensuous description is really concerned with abstract ideas. The vision continues:

There arose up from beneath this bodiless spirit a beautiful rose-colored light. It was indeed a glorious sight, which language is inadequate to describe.

"The temple was surrounded by a great number of spirits, with musical instruments in their hands, and from them arose a flood of music, far surpassing anything ever heard by mortal ears. The building had a Doric roof, and stood high up from its base. It was ascended by a flight of many steps, extending across the whole front. There were three rows of columns on each side, of infinite variety of colors; they were not Doric in form, but tall and slender, and somewhat of the Ionic order. This temple was open at its sides, and its pavement and columns shone with a brilliant sparkling gleam amid that rose-colored atmosphere.

"On each side of the building was a glorious garden, variegated with water, shrubbery, and flowers, equally dazzling in their brilliancy. The leaves of the flowers and plants were transparent, yet shone with a glitter like the ice-plant, or as if covered with frost in the morning sun. The water was now a calm and placid pool, now a bubbling stream, now a jet, and anon a tumbling fall. The flowers were of all possible colors, and I could see their perfume arise from them and mingle with the atmosphere. At the same time I could see the plants drinking in, through their leaves, the life-principle from the atmosphere, and giving it out sublimated and refined as a perfume. Those plants were in all stages of development, so that it seemed as if spring and summer, conjoined, reigned there forever. There was every variety of foliage and shady trees, now dense, dark and cool, and now sparse and transparent. The water was full of fishes, gamboling in the joyousness of life in such pure waters and the air was full of birds, rendering it beautiful with their plumage, and vocal with their song. One bird I noticed in particular: he was brown and plain in look, and as he reposed on a limb of one of the trees, he sent up his joyous song, ringing clear over all other sounds—its notes like the softest flute, expressive of happiness, and imparting a feeling of gladness to all around.,"

We must not forget that the description is Dr. Dexter's own, and that he has before him a panorama of pictures, pictographic imagery, with here and there a note of symbolism. Such phrases as seeing the perfume rising, and the plants "drinking in the life-principle and giving it out subliminated and refined as a perfume," are natural symbolic expressions for speculative truth, represented as apparent fact. All this will become clearer in some later comments. The narrative goes on:

"The basement of the temple, I saw, was prepared and fitted up for a room in which public meetings were to be held. At one end of it was the seat of the presiding spirit. It was the precise, tomb-like monument of myself that I had seen once before, on which was recorded my age when I died. Back of that, on the wall, was a picture of that cross in the sky, which I had seen with its attendant spirit and its scrolls. Beneath that picture was my new seal painted, and on each side two other seals; they consisted of shields and emblazonry. One had a crossbar running diagonally, above which was the scene of the good Samaritan; and below a bright spirit, who was lifting a slave from the ground and knocking off his chains. The scroll beneath the shield contained these words: 'Love conquers all things."'

This was Dr. Dexter's coat of arms; the other was Mr. Warren's. It was quartered by bars crossing each other at right angles. In one quarter was a shepherd surrounded by his flock; he was reclining under a tree, and examining the starry firmament. In the second quarter was a man far down in a deep pit, examining the formation of the rock and earth. In the third, was a man reading; and in the fourth, one with crucibles and other chemical apparatus. The inscription was, "Knowledge is Progressive."

The description continues for nearly two pages, but we have seen enough to understand the character of the whole. We are concerned here only with that part which contains internal evidence of being symbolic. The symbolic meaning is unconsciously revealed in the very contents of the message. For instance, Dr. Dexter's monument, inscribed with his epitaph, is not a vision of present reality, but a premonition. The shield and other figures are also symbolic. More especially we note a prediction of the downfall of slavery, which was not an established fact at the time of this vision, in 1853. The vision, therefore, was not of actual facts, but consisted of images signifying future events. It matters not what the source of these pictures may be; we are assuming their spiritistic origin here only to indicate that the symbolic character of the pictures is not affected thereby, while it is taken for granted on any other theory of their source. That part which is obviously symbolic suggests the same interpretation for the rest.

We could go through the literature of spiritualism and find many examples of symbolic vision. As the pictographic process of communication is so common, even when the personal identity of the discarnate is being proved, when we cannot for a moment suppose that real things are seen, we have to bear in mind in considering such narratives, the conditions of that process with its inherent symbolism. This point can be brought out in another way.

Strictly scientific language is inadequate to interpret art. We cannot directly convey the impressions and emotions we experience in the enjoyment of works of art. We have to describe the product in terms that carry with them certain emotional values; and, unless the recipient has had experience enough to read into the language what the communicator has in mind, he fails to get the meaning. The descriptions contain words signifying certain emotional effects; and, as we can communicate with each other only in terms of sense-perception, of pictorial imagery of some kind, a criticism may often enough seem absurd to the stickler for scientific accuracy, though perfectly intelligible to the man who appreciates art and the emotional reactions to beauty.

We can apply the psychology of art to our present problem. If the spiritual world be dominantly a world to be described appreciatively, not scientifically, we may well understand how descriptive accounts have a symbolic meaning which should be interpreted in terms of emotion. Many of the revelations of the spiritual world characterize it as dominantly emotional and affectional. Mere knowledge is secondary among its interests. Just as we use sensuous imagery in interpreting any work of art, so the pictographic process, recognizing the difficulties of describing a spiritual world, uses such pictures as will carry with them emotions characteristic of the spiritual life wherever found. In the attempt to describe a piece of music, the critic or artist endeavors to make a body of sound intelligible in terms of visual imagery. A musician may call his composition "A Rose," meaning that his musical work gives rise to the same emotion as that produced by a rose. The writer who speaks of "a symphony of color" is using musical terms to describe a visual effect. The language cannot be taken literally; the appreciative mind must construe the meaning in terms of emotional reactions. The same principle may apply to the accounts of the spiritual world. The pictographic process must represent it in pictorial images, but the mind must see in them the emotional meaning of the representations, and ignore the literal import.

The work of Andrew Jackson Davis has proved attractive to most people because it contains more description and philosophy than most similar productions, and because the author maintains that he had read little or nothing on the subject. His "Summer Land" is as complete a description as was ever given of the other world in terms of sense. This characteristic arouses at once the skepticism of the more intelligent and the enthusiasm of the ignorant. There can be no doubt that his work is remarkable as a case for the psychologist; but its literal truth is another matter.

Since we have had no experience of the transcendental world it requires scrutiny and discrimination to determine what reports are acceptable and what are not. The veracity of the communicator does not guarantee the truth of his statements. We need to know two things in addition to his veracity. (1) We must know his competency or the intelligence of his judgment in making his observations. (2) We must know that he is reporting more than his individual impressions. When these two conditions are fulfilled we may be able to accept reports about the next world.

Now when we add to the difficulties just mentioned the further complications (1) that the accounts of the spiritual world do not agree in their details, and (2) that the reactions of different spirits may vary as widely as do the esthetic judgments of the living, we shall have abundant reason to exercise caution before accepting accounts of the spiritual world at their face value. If the descriptions are highly symbolic and if they are determined by the degree of development of the individual spirit, we could hardly expect them to be identical or even consistent. The differences between the spiritual and the physical world make it difficult to give a satisfactory account of the former. Just in proportion as it is different from this life, spirits must be unable to describe it in the only terms by which it can be made intelligible to most people. just in proportion as it is like the physical world the stories about it will be credible to the ordinary person and at the same time will excite the skepticism of the man who does not think altogether in terms of sensory images. The contradictions in the accounts make it easy to understand why the intelligent man hesitates to accept the revelations, though the average man simply selects what pleases him and ignores the rest. The conflict lies between different criteria of truth, the untrained mind accepting at its face value every narrative couched in sensory terms, and the scientific mind doubting everything that pretends to describe a spiritual world in physical terms. The reconciliation lies in the belief in a supersensible physical universe saturated with, spirit, whatever view of spirit we take, and in the belief in spiritual activities of a dominantly emotional type, which have to be translated into sensory terms when they are described to the living. But we have still to prove the existence of such a state of affairs.

Contradictions in the statements are due partly to the same causes which make the living differ in their opinions, and partly to differences in the conditions under which spirits exist. There are what we call the earthbound spirits who live in their sensory memories and desires. Their communications must reflect their own mental condition and would naturally contain just such stories as those which offend the scientific intelligence. Then there is the crank, who still insists on teaching us his doctrine whenever he can find a channel, through which to express it. It is probable that the earth-bound and the cranks can communicate more easily than can the more highly developed, and that they would be more persistent in their efforts. Death does not make radical changes in our natures. We retain the same characters; if we have resisted progress here we may do so in the spiritual world. Moreover, many messages are compounds formed by two or more minds acting at the same time. It is probable that this condition exercises a more distorting influence on results than do the messages of the earth-bound. But we have to reckon with so many obstacles to the intelligibility of the messages, including their frequently symbolic nature, that we have to be exceedingly wary in the acceptance of any revelation.

The manifold difficulties which I have discussed above will always stare us in the face, though we may be forced to admit that there is some basis of truth in the revelations. Only the common elements in the total mass of conflicting accounts can be accepted, and even these only on the assurance that they are not reflections of normal ideas and imaginings. We must be sure that the mind which delivers them has not known any of the ideas and theories of spiritualism, if we are to exclude the influence of conscious and subconscious knowledge on the statements. To secure an adequate conception of the spiritual world by such a process of sifting will require many years of investigation and study. We are in no position at present to provide the scientific mind with a clear conception of the transcendental world nor with any simple criterion of validity for the communications concerning that world.

About the Author

James H. Hyslop, Ph.D., LL.D
Contact with The Other World Copyright 1919